After staging a mock wedding Friday, Niles High School students learned a few valuable lessons about what it takes to tie the knot.

“Planning a wedding is really hard,” said fake groom David Haynes, “and it’s so expensive. It’s going to be awhile before I get married.”

Haynes’ pseudo bride, Kyra West, had a similar take.

“The work that goes into it — you have to be precise about everything; every little detail,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

The mock wedding was put on by the ninth- through 12th-grade students in Cheryl Heitzman’s family living class at Niles High School.

Heitzman, in her first year as the school’s culinary arts teacher, said the students did everything from planning the ceremony, to making the invitations, to cooking the food.

It took about a month.

“I want to take every opportunity I can to do hands-on learning,” Heitzman said.

The mock wedding included bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers, photographers, catering and a student-made cake.

“I never expected it to take life like it did,” Heitzman said. “Everyone wanted to be in it, but I told them ‘you have to work.’”

Students in Heitzman’s hospitality and foods class made and served the d’oeuvres to members of the wedding party.

Student Dallas Houck made the cake.